Work has started on new homes that will help transform Wakefield’s historic Civic Quarter into a thriving city centre neighbourhood called the ‘Wood Street Collection’.
Cllr Michael Graham, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said: “It’s great to see the redevelopment work is getting underway at Wood Street in the first stage of creating new homes in an historic part of our city where people can live, work and socialise.
“The transformation is part of our ambitious regeneration plans to breathe new life into this part of the city centre and to ensure its stunning historic buildings are restored for future generations.”
Wakefield Council is working in partnership with property investment company, Rushbond, on the project that will see new homes created in the former Wood Street police station at Gills Yard, and Rishworth Street as part of the regeneration of the city centre.
The neighbourhood is being delivered by Fallowdale Homes, the housebuilding arm of Rushbond, which has appointed Mulberry Construction Group and Keepsake Construction as the lead contractors on the scheme.
James Dinsley from Rushbond said: “This is an exciting milestone as work begins to create a new opportunity for families and people of all ages to live in the heart of this beautiful city.
“Wakefield is famous for its cultural and architectural heritage – but there is also so much placemaking and infrastructure investment taking place to cement its future as a desirable, thriving centre, which is a hugely attractive proposition for making your home here.”
The city centre’s former police station has the first section of scaffolding in place, ready to transform it into 33 one, two and three-bedroom heritage apartments available to rent, alongside the conversion of Wood House into a large, four-storey residential property.
Over the next few months, specialist cleaning and sensitive renovations will be carried out on the heritage exterior, alongside the repair of the masonry and roof. Internally, existing walls will be knocked through with new steelwork fitted, ready for the internal fit-out which will begin later this year.
Next month will see the start of work with ground-breaking on ‘Gills Mews’ for 20 two and three storey new build townhouses on the site of the former Rishworth Street car park, which are due to be completed from the end of 2025.
Nine new three-bed townhouses at ‘Gills Yard’ built on the former Council-owned car park will also be available for purchase, with the homes due to complete by summer 2025.
The ‘Wood Street Collection’ will also feature new green landscaping with green space in the city, and improved neighbourhood connectivity. There are plans to develop public art, with more details to be unveiled later this year.
